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Macon Georgia |
|
May 21st 1862 |
| |
| Richard M. Cuyler |
| Capt Actg & Ord |
| Macon Georgia |
| |
| Dear Sir, |
| In obedience to your orders to purchase
material (consisting of Coal, Coke, Iron, Lead, Copper & Brass). I
proceeded to Rome Ga. and agreed with Messrs Elliot & Russell, viz They
to shipp you from Rome this day (21st) two car loads of Round Mountain
Iron, say 32000 pounds more or less, at sixty dollars per ton of 2240
lbs, the money to be remitted to them at Rome on the receipt of the Iron
at Macon. They also agreed to send you at the rate of one car load or
about 16000 lbs. per week, but would not make written contract. I
ordered from E. G. Walker & Co. Chattanooga Tenn. |
| |
8000 Bus |
mixed coal |
@ 15c per Bus at mines |
|
| |
16000 " |
coke |
" 18c " "
" " |
|
| |
2800 " |
fine " |
" 11c " "
" " |
|
|
| he to load it on the cars at the mines, you to pay
transportation from mines to Macon, he would not make contract, written
or verbal except on the basis that if the miners raised the price of
coal to him (which he remarked they had done twice since January) he
must make a corresponding raise. I reserved for you the privilege to
cancel the order at any time you saw proper. He promised to send you a
few car loads as soon as the Burnt Bridge is finished which he thought
would be about the 25th of present month, he requires cash on delivering
and will draw for the amount through their agents in this place. He
farther said that the R. R. Co. would only receipt to him for cars loads
of coal without specifying the number of Bushels, assuming however the
customary fact, that each car contains two hundred bushels. The point
they insist to arrive at is that they do not wish to be responsible for
any loss or stealing that may occur in the transportation. |
| With John W. Lewis Cartersville Ga I made
a verbal agreement, viz he to deliver to you on board the cars at
Cartersville Five hundred tons of hot blast charcoal "Pig Iron" at sixty
dollars per ton of 2240, he also agreed to send forward immediately, and
continue the delivery at the rate of about One hundred tons per month he
has near three hundred tons made, the thought is to haul it to the
depot, a distance of ten miles over the worst Road in the world, he also
said we need not bother ourselves about the transportation to this place
as he would see to it, you of course paying the freight at this point. |
| I also bought 8 moulders sieves, in Rome,
paid for them and directed them shipped to you at this place. I called
on Major Mark A Cooper Etowah Georgia, he reports, being full of work
for the government Gun Boats at Wilmington N. C. & Charleston S. C.
which will last him (on account of the great scarcity of coal & men to
work, his mill) for five or six weeks but if you send him an order he
will work it in a little at a time so he can make the Rolls first, his
prices are Ten (10) cents per pound loaded the cars at his mill. He as
also all parties I have seen appear to be anxious to do all in their
power for the government. (except always Mr E. G. Walker) |
| I also seen two or three other Iron
Manufactories who are all busy on contracts not yet fulfilled. One
thought he might let you have some in course of a month if you needed
it. Mr. George Ware of the Shelby Iron Manufacturing Co. Columbiana
Shelby Co. Alabama promised to write you at this place to the amount
they could spare time of delivery, terms &c., watch him, as he has the
reputation of being tricky" |
| The above I believe covers all the grounds
I have as yet passed over. |
| Yours Respectfully W Wm McDowell |
| {Roads used for the above
shipments: Rome to Western & Atlantic RR = Rome RR; Etowah to Western &
Atlantic RR = Etowah RR; Cartersville was on the Western & Atlantic ---
all shipments to Atlanta, then to Macon on the Western & Atlantic RR.
From Shelby Iron Works, Alabama & Tennessee River RR to Selma, steamboat
to Montgomery, Montgomery & West Point RR to either West Point, then
Atlanta & West Point RR, then Macon & Western RR OR to Girard/Columbus,
then on the Muskogee RR and the South Western RR to Macon} |
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